Who moves to Asheville, and where they go
Every year the IRS counts how many people move between counties, based on the addresses on their tax returns. Here is what that shows for Buncombe County, NC, home of Asheville, between the 2022 and 2023 tax years.
- Moved in
- 14,767from other US counties
- Moved out
- 13,541to other US counties
- Net
- +1,226more arrivals than departures
- From abroad
- 100tax filers and dependents only
Loading the map...
Where newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Henderson County, NC | 1,170 |
| Haywood County, NC | 441 |
| Mecklenburg County, NC (Charlotte) | 413 |
| Madison County, NC | 356 |
| Wake County, NC (Raleigh) | 335 |
| McDowell County, NC | 230 |
| Greenville County, SC (Greenville) | 175 |
| Pinellas County, FL (St. Petersburg) | 163 |
| Travis County, TX (Austin) | 145 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 144 |
| Miami-Dade County, FL (Miami) | 142 |
| Transylvania County, NC | 140 |
Where people go when they leave
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Henderson County, NC | 1,840 |
| Haywood County, NC | 766 |
| Madison County, NC | 590 |
| McDowell County, NC | 373 |
| Mecklenburg County, NC (Charlotte) | 370 |
| Greenville County, SC (Greenville) | 271 |
| Spartanburg County, SC | 261 |
| Wake County, NC (Raleigh) | 256 |
| Rutherford County, NC | 188 |
| Transylvania County, NC | 166 |
| Durham County, NC (Durham) | 127 |
| Forsyth County, NC (Winston-Salem) | 126 |
Most moves are short hops within the same metro area. 5,253 of the newcomers came from elsewhere in North Carolina and 9,514 from other states. Here are the long-distance moves only, more than 100 miles:
Long-distance newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Wake County, NC (Raleigh) | 335 |
| Pinellas County, FL (St. Petersburg) | 163 |
| Travis County, TX (Austin) | 145 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 144 |
| Miami-Dade County, FL (Miami) | 142 |
| Palm Beach County, FL (West Palm Beach) | 139 |
| Broward County, FL (Fort Lauderdale) | 139 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 135 |
Long-distance movers go to
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Wake County, NC (Raleigh) | 256 |
| Durham County, NC (Durham) | 127 |
| Forsyth County, NC (Winston-Salem) | 126 |
| Guilford County, NC (Greensboro) | 105 |
| Charleston County, SC (Charleston) | 100 |
| Fulton County, GA (Atlanta) | 95 |
| New Hanover County, NC (Wilmington) | 84 |
| Pinellas County, FL (St. Petersburg) | 72 |
Frequently asked questions
Where do people moving to Asheville come from?
Most people moving into Buncombe County, NC come from nearby counties, led by Henderson County, NC (1,170 people). The biggest source more than 100 miles away is Wake County, NC.
Where do people leaving Asheville move to?
The top destination is Henderson County, NC (1,840 people). Farther away, the most popular is Wake County, NC.
Are more people moving to Asheville or leaving?
Between the 2022 and 2023 tax years, 14,767 people moved into Buncombe County, NC from elsewhere in the US and 13,541 moved out, a net gain of 1,226 (IRS data, not counting moves from abroad).
Thinking about the move yourself? Compare Asheville with any city it trades people with, like Asheville vs Raleigh, Asheville vs St. Petersburg, Asheville vs Austin, Asheville vs Chicago.
Source: IRS Statistics of Income, county-to-county migration data for filing years 2022 to 2023, the latest available. Counts are people (the number of personal exemptions, which the IRS uses to approximate individuals): tax filers plus dependents whose address moved to a different county between the two filing years. People who do not file returns are not counted, and the IRS hides very small flows to protect privacy. Figures are for the whole county, not just the city of Asheville.